Straight Faces
by WildMeiLing
Summary: A light-hearted moment between Clarisse and Joseph. I probably could write a more detailed summary, but then it might be longer than the story. *What's this? An update for a tiny one-shot? Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are!*
1. Chapter 1

_A short, silly thing that's distracting me from more serious endeavors. In fact, I almost put it with the drabbles._

 _Thanks for reading this little bitty story written with characters who aren't mine. I hope it amuses you!_

* * *

All she wanted was to be home.

It had been a long day of tedious meetings. At the end of it, they discovered construction had caused chaos along the main thoroughfare of downtown Pyrus. Thanks to the clever maneuverings of her driver, they had bypassed the snarl of traffic, but the detour was adding significantly to their travel time.

Clarisse sighed, trying to bite back complaints that would make her sound ungrateful. Joseph must have heard the sigh and interpreted its meaning because soon after he pushed the button to raise the barrier between the backseat and the front.

He leaned back again, and they both continued to stare straight ahead quietly until Joseph finally spoke up.

"Want to make out?"

Clarisse whipped her head toward him. "What?"

He raised his eyebrows while keeping a remarkably straight face. "Do you?"

"No, I do not!"

"Are you sure?"

Her emphatic response came immediately. "Yes, I am sure!"

"So you really don't want to –"

"Joseph."

"It could be fun –"

 _"Joseph."_

"Alright, alright."

He lapsed into silence. She turned to face forward again, resolutely avoiding eye contact with him. After a few moments, she chanced a glance from the corner of her eye, but her head was tempted to follow her gaze so she renewed her determination to stare a hole through the privacy screen.

"Just tell me this: is it because you don't want to, or because it would be inappropriate?"

She sucked in a breath to respond, then decided it was better to ignore him.

He was not deterred.

"Probably you're right. We do work together, it could be awkward."

There was a pause, and she couldn't help but feel he was using it to maintain his poker face and keep the smile out of his voice.

"And we've been friends for so many years. It would be a shame to jeopardize that."

"Are you forgetting something else?"

"Hmm?" She moved her head a tiny bit and saw him stroking his goatee as he pretended to search for other reasons. "Ah, you must be referring to the fact that you're married."

She rolled her eyes. "It's likely that I am."

"That is a good reason." She waited, knowing he was enjoying this and would keep pressing the issue. She didn't have to wait long. He cleared his throat. "You might ask yourself," he suggested as delicately as possible, "what His Majesty would do in a situation like this."

She found her resolve wavering. She felt an involuntary pull at the corners of her lips. He would know her imperious façade was cracking, but she made him wait for a long minute.

"Possibly," she said lightly, still not daring to look at him fully, "it would take less time to list what Rupert would _not_ do."

Joseph laughed, and finally, so did Clarisse. He slid closer and put his arm around her. She caught his eye before resting her head on his shoulder, and he leaned in to put a chaste but meaningful kiss on her forehead.

"Rest," he said. "It's been a long day and we still have a few minutes before we arrive at the palace."

She sighed, not quite contentedly, and she wondered if he knew how many things she wanted to say to him just then. Instead of speaking, she reached her hand out, and he crossed his free arm in front of him to grasp her hand in his. Their fingers entwined and their hands dropped to a relatively safe spot in between them.

She felt him smile against her forehead. "If you ever change your mind…" He let his whisper trail off suggestively.

"You'll be the first to know," she promised.


	2. Chapter 2

_I'd had absolutely no ideas for taking this any further until someone wondered what it might be like if the tables were turned. So here's another - and unexpected - installment. I hope this one also amuses you. And Marjorie Nescio, if it satisfies your curiosity, then it's all yours. ;) Thanks for planting the seed, and for your suggestions._

* * *

Joe Romero was having a bad day.

He flopped into the backseat of the limousine and tersely ordered the driver to move out, then mashed the button to put up the partition so he could fume in peace. He felt Clarisse's eyes attempting to penetrate the huff he had immersed himself in, but he didn't want to look at her right now. She would draw him out of it too easily, and he wasn't done being irritated.

He had no idea what stars were misaligned or what planets might be out of whack, but for some reason, during today's series of public appearances, people wanted a more hands-on experience of their ruler. Everyone wanted to be near her, to touch her as a way of commanding a moment of her exclusive attention, and it had taken everything he had to keep them out of her personal space.

Not that he could blame them. He chanced a glance at her now, and since she appeared to be absorbed by the document she had pulled from her briefcase, he allowed his eyes to sweep over her form. She was always beautiful, but today she was absolutely radiant. He was having a hard time keeping his hands off her, too. His hand had lingered on the small of her back, and more often, and he had pulled her into him a little closer than usual to protect her from the exuberant crowds…

The crowds. He was still seething. As Head of Security and acting bodyguard of Genovia's Queen Regent, he wove in and out of the shadows, either watching unobtrusively or making his presence known, depending on the situation. Through wardrobe, attitude, and professional demeanor, he strove for an aura that was quietly intimidating and darkly unapproachable, and when he attached himself to his queen, people usually kept their distance from both of them.

Not today though. He heaved a sigh and leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees – a better position for brooding. That's when he saw evidence of the pushy populace: a scuff mark on the toe of one of his new and expensive shoes. He narrowed his eyes at the offensive sight, then patted his pockets for a handkerchief.

"Joseph?"

"Hmm?" he responded distractedly.

"I've changed my mind."

"Really? About what?" Handkerchief in hand, he began his assault on the eyesore maligning his shoe.

"You asked me a question once. It's been a few years, but I've since changed my mind, and as I told you that you would be the first to know if I did…"

He waited for her to elaborate, but her words trailed off vaguely. "What question?" he prompted testily.

Damn spot. He scowled at it and rubbed harder, despite the obvious futility of his efforts.

"We should make out."

At the moment the words were leaving Clarisse's mouth, Joseph had leaned forward a little more and the limo driver had hit a speedbump while driving too fast. Clarisse, seated calmly in an upright position, simply stretched out a graceful arm to brace herself against the door.

Joseph, on the other hand, fell right off his seat.

"It might be fun," she added.

He twisted to look up at her and saw she was desperately trying to suppress a smile. "Come again?" he asked, an old conversation suddenly resurfacing in his memory.

"I said we should make out."

"Are you teasing me?"

"No."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Never!"

"Then why do you look as though you're trying not to laugh?"

"Because you fell off the seat, and I found that terribly amusing."

"So the, uh…you're being serious?"

She arched a saucy eyebrow. " _Quite_ serious."

"Then why the hell am I still down here?"

"Why, indeed?"

She offered her hand, but he was already climbing back onto the seat, and before she knew it, she was in his arms, laughing at him. "My, but you can move awfully fast!"

"I don't want to give you a chance to change your mind."

She cupped his face with her hands. Her eyes twinkled, but her voice was softly reassuring. "Would I do that to you?"

"I hope not. You know, I've been having a rough day."

"So I'd noticed," she replied dryly.

"Things are looking up though."

"Or they would be, if you would stop talking."

"Is that a hint?" he asked, his voice muffled as he burrowed into the crook of her neck.

She sighed contentedly. "A suggestion."

"I do like when you're – " He cleared his throat pointedly. " – suggestive." He started trailing kisses along her lovely collarbone and felt a chuckle bubbling in her chest.

"Do you?" she asked, winding her arms snugly around him.

"Mm. And the feel of your arms tightening around me."

"I'm trying to hold on to you so you don't fall over again."

He drew back to look at her properly. "Have I told you that you're beautiful?"

She smiled modestly. "You may have mentioned it once or twice in passing," she replied lightly.

"Today, you're absolutely stunning."

"And you're always handsome, but you're rather delicious when you're cross."

"No wonder you find me irresistible today," he teased.

"No wonder," she agreed before pulling him back to her and effectively ending the verbal part of their conversation for the rest of the ride.


End file.
